ORACC NEWS YOU CAN USE
December 17, 2020
Welcome to the second issue of "ORACC News You Can Use"!
In this issue, you will find articles by longtime Chapter sponsor Markowitz Herbold and first year sponsor Littler. We have also included some tips from ACC to help reduce stress this holiday season and links to member resources for wellness and career coaching.
Last week, our Chapter elected the 2021 Board of Directors--including new ORACC president Emily Warren--at our Annual Meeting. The meeting featured a terrific CLE, donations to three charities and a host of raffle prizes were awarded. A full recap of this year's online Annual Meeting and a list of the 2021 board members can be found below.
ORACC is working with our sponsors to pull together some great programs and events for 2021 including what has become an annual tradition for our Chapter--the New Year's Celebration in January with Barran Liebman.
If there are any areas you would like to see covered in a future issue, or you have suggestions for future online educational and/or social events, please let us know. We value your feedback and can be reached at accoregon@accglobal.com.
Have a very happy holiday season and stay safe!
UPCOMING EVENTS
5th Annual New Year's Celebration with Barran Liebman
On Wednesday, January 20 at 5:00pm, Barran Liebman will once again host a New Year's social event for ORACC. The 2022 event will be a little different since it will be held online, but the firm still has some fun things planned! All in-house counsel are welcome to attend this online event. More details soon!
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ZOOM TRIALS AND COVID ARBITRATIONS – EMBRACE THE NEW NORMAL
by Jeff Edelson & Chad Colton,
Markowitz Herbold PC
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While our courts have either stopped or severely limited civil trials, private arbitrations are thriving in the COVID-19 environment. Between the two of us, we have handled seven arbitrations just since the COVID shutdown began. Without the availability of courthouses and juries, arbitrators are conducting short, in-person trials or running trials via video teleconferencing platforms from their offices or homes.
Lawyers and their clients who embrace this new normal will appreciate the efficiency and pace of Zoom trials and abbreviated in- person trials. For example, witnesses are not expected to travel to attend trial. Adaptation is not difficult, but it requires new skills and attention to the details.
Here are some tips for trials by Zoom:
1. Prior to the trial, encourage the arbitrator to hold any pretrial conferences on the same platform you will be using for the arbitration. This will give you insight to what the virtual courtroom will look like.
2. Ensure that you and your witnesses have a strong internet connection. You and your witnesses should have all other internet applications closed.
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Jeff Edelson, Shareholder
Markowitz Herbold
For more information about Jeff, or to contact him directly, please click here.
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Chad Colton, Shareholder
Markowitz Herbold
For more information about Chad, or to contact him directly, please click here.
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ACC HOLIDAY SEASON CHECKLIST |
The days are shorter, and holiday stress can affect us all in different ways.
Here's a handy checklist from the Association of Corporate Counsel that can help you keep an eye on your well-being through the end of the year and into 2021:
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Unplug. While you may feel like you have to be online and available all the time, be sure to give yourself some time away from your desk, phone, and email. Take a moment to recharge and return to your work rejuvenated.
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Stay connected, with boundaries (if desired). For many, holidays are a time for family. While gatherings may look different this year, we are fortunate that technology is allowing us to stay connected. A benefit of gathering through Zoom, FaceTime, or another technological method is that you can set time limits and adhere to them, if necessary.
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Turn to an activity that provides you a break from the norm, lifts your mood, and/or creates an avenue for you to become inspired and re-motivated. For some, this may be spending time on one’s balcony or in one’s garden; for others, it may be going for a walk or jog.
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Look ahead. If 2020, plus the lack of sunlight, are dampening your mood, take comfort in the fact that we are approaching a new year, with new possibilities, including the perspective that things may improve on the global health front, and that we may be able to safely travel and see each other again in a not-too-distant future. Check out this helpful webinar for planning on your return to the office, as well as this webinar about how to look forward with a positive attitude.
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BUILDING AN EFFECTIVE VIRTUAL EMPLOYEE TRAINING PROGRAM
by Anthony Kuchulis & Christine Sargent,
Littler
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Step 1. Know the Pitfalls of All Trainings.
Many years ago, while speaking to a large auditorium of business leaders and in-house counsel, I suggested that workplace harassment trainings should focus on advocating “professionalism” rather than simply being “against harassment,” because nobody would describe themselves as a harasser. On the other hand, most people, hopefully, would be open to learning new etiquette standards that could advance their careers. During the presentation, I suggested that the “office huggers” of the world not be branded as “harassers,” but should be advised that hugging non-family members is no longer appropriate in a professional setting. At that moment a gentleman stood up and proclaimed, “well, that’s a bunch of nonsense because we are huggers at my office” followed by, “let’s show them, come over here Nancy.[1]”
[1] Names have been changed, for Nancy’s sake.
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Anthony Kuchulis, Shareholder
Littler
For more information about
Anthony, or to contact him directly, please click here.
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Christine Sargent, Associate
Littler
For more information about
Christine, or to contact her directly, please click here.
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ORACC ANNUAL MEETING WITH
OGLETREE DEAKINS
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In addition to board elections and another terrific CLE by Elizabeth Falcone of Ogletree Deakins, this year's Oregon ACC Annual Meeting also raised money for three local charities and featured a raffle for Chapter members in attendance online.
Outgoing Board President Elizabeth Schultz shared some parting words before announcing the candidates for the 2021 Officers and Board (the entire 2021 Board can be found below). After the election, she introduced new Board President Emily Warren who shared that Ogletree Deakins would be donating $1275 on behalf of members who registered to the 2020 Rebuilding Fund for Oregon Wildfire Victims, A Smile For Kids (ASK) and Meals on Wheels People! More information on each charity can be found below.
Elizabeth Falcone then led a lively CLE entitled "Masks, Protests, and Natural Disasters – How World Events Are Impacting the Workplace". Her presentation shared various scenarios to illustrate how this year has changed the work environment and provided real-time polling for attendee participation.
Afterwards, Elizabeth Falcone hosted a raffle spotlighting local businesses who have been hit hard this year including several prizes from BIPOC and women-owned businesses from across the state. Chapter members Matthew Merritt, Tamara Kessler and Cloudette Heichel were the lucky beneficiaries of $150 gift cards to Andina, Laurelhurst Market and Olympia Prizes. Additional $100 and $50 gift cards to Abbey Creek Vineyard, EcoVibe, Fat Cupcake, Freeland Spirits and Spider City Brewing were given out to Chapter members Juan Costantini, Angela DeLuca, Taylor Engers, Debra Florence, Eddi Hilts, Lindsey Kantawee, Kat Kogan, Tony Padilla, Morgan Reynolds, Magali Sosa-Tirado and Emily Warren. She then surprised everyone else in attendance that they would be receiving a $25 gift certificate to one of these wonderful Oregon businesses!
Thank you to Elizabeth Falcone and Rosealynn Seitz at Ogletree Deakins for providing support to local charities and some much needed holiday cheer to our Chapter members this year! We look forward to working with the firm in 2021.
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2020 Community
Rebuilding Fund
The 2020 Community Rebuilding Fund was established at the request of Governor Kate Brown and launched in partnership with the Oregon Community Foundation, Meyer Memorial Trust and the Ford Family Foundation. The fund aims to leverage public investment along with private and philanthropic investment to catalyze a rebuilding effort for a stronger Oregon. To learn more, please click here.
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A Smile For Kids
A Smile For Kids (ASK) provides equitable access to orthodontic care to improve the self-confidence, health and resilience of underserved youth throughout Oregon. Through partnerships with 60+ orthodontists in Oregon, ASK provides access to braces and maxillofacial surgery where there was otherwise none. To learn more, please click here.
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Meals on Wheels People
For 50 years, Meals on Wheels People has been meeting the social and nutritional needs of older adults throughout Multnomah, Washington and Clark counties. They serve delicious and nutritious meals at dozens of dining centers around the Portland metropolitan area, and thousands of volunteers deliver Meals on Wheels and friendly visits to homebound seniors. To learn more, please click here.
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Officers
President: Emily Warren - The Standard
Secretary: TBD
Treasurer: Taylor Engers - Lattice Semiconductor
Board Members
Ben Buhayer - NWEA
Tamara Kessler - Umpqua Bank
Katerina Kogan - Lam Research
Kelly Kozich - Vestas
Gary Lau - Cambia Health Solutions
David Meisels - ZincFive, Inc.
Yumi O'Neil - Cambia Health Solutions
J. Stuart Patterson - HP, Inc.
Valentina Rucker- Intel
Elizabeth Schultz - Vestas
Eric Taylor - NIKE, Inc.
Jen Yeh - The Standard
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The Association of Corporate Counsel recognizes that members' well-being is more important than ever.
And, with the ever changing business landscape, ACC members may also be looking for guidance in their current roles and where they can go in the future.
To learn more about wellness resources and complimentary career coaching available to ACC members, please click below:
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Oregon ACC is fortunate to have tremendous sponsors with a wealth of knowledge and experience to help you and your company navigate these uncertain times. To visit a sponsor's website, please click on their logo below:
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